Why and how being positive helps you?

Negative thinking can get triggered due to various reasons like health problems, family conflicts, work stress, loss of a family member or friend or low self-esteem. These situations put us in a place of negativity, gloom and pessimism. To turn these emotions into positivity requires some effort from your side and a daily step would make situations better. 

What is positive thinking?

Positive thinking is viewing negative or stressful situations with a positive lens. Everytime an anxious condition arises, if you can keep a hopeful outlook that helps you get over the problem, it is called practising positive thinking. Affirmations like ‘I can do this’ or ‘I made a mistake but I’ll give it another try’ helps being positive even in stressful times. 

Top 8 benefits of positive thinking

Both mind and body are affected in the best way with positive thinking. Some of the benefits of positive thinking include - 

1. Clearer thinking and better problem-solving skills 
2. Reduced stress and more optimistic mood patterns
3. Enhanced creativity and productivity 
4. Lowered risk of depression and other mental health problems
5. Reduced chances of heart attack and lowered blood pressure 
6. Increased lifespan 
7. Improved resistance to illnesses like cold, diseases and infections
8. Overall physical and mental well-being 

Tips to start “thinking positive”

To get the advantages of positive thinking, here are a few tips to get you started - 

1. Check on your thoughts every now and then to identify any negativity that you can erase. A lot of times unconscious negative thinking takes over us, especially in anxious situations. Being aware of these thoughts at the right time can help to employ positive thinking at the earliest. 
   
2. Reframe the negative situations as positive. You must’ve heard people say that it is all about how you see things. If you choose to see the positive, you can actually make productive changes. 
3. If you fail to admire the good in your life, keeping a gratitude journal is a good idea. When you actually allow yourself to write down what you’re thankful for, you end up seeing the worth of your life which helps being positive. 
4. Self-talk is an incredible thing to do. Not only does it make you feel positive and confident, but it helps you connect with a deeper part of yourself. The happiness and satisfaction of being with yourself and to heal yourself of the tough times comes with self-talk. 
5. Get a good night's sleep. There is nothing better than sleep, is it? Allowing yourself to get a sleep for about 7 hours every night rejuvenates you for the next day and to face the challenges at hand. Sometimes sleeping off the tiredness and negativity of the day is the best thing that you can do.
   
6. Give credit to your strengths and identify the areas that you’re good at. Sometimes we tend to be overly critical of ourselves and the building self doubt takes a toll on our mental health. Recognise what you’re best at and practise it more often. The confidence that you will get from your strengths will allow you to achieve what you’re least experienced at and helps being positive too.
7. Acceptance is the key. Let go and don’t overcontrol the situation. There will be times that the situation is out of your hand. In such situations, accept the problem, look at the positives and come up with the simplest solution that you can. 
8. A healthy lifestyle full of nutritious meals, exercise hours and me-time is the way to go. Healthy meals keep your energy levels high throughout the day while your body performs at its best and increases your productivity rate. Exercise cuts down a lot of stress and gives an instant boost of stamina and motivation. Me-time is the one hour that most of us look forward to after a tiring day because that is the only time when we finally get to sit by ourselves and give ourselves the self-care and self-love that we need. 
   
9. Be around people that make you feel positive and happy. Don’t keep yourself in touch with those who pull you down and drain you. 
10. Smile more often and laugh a little more. Sometimes the simple act of grinning can make you feel so much lighter. Additionally, it reduces your heart rate and blood pressure as well. Even if you’re fake smiling, continue to smile till you finally feel better and less stressed. 

How to identify negative thinking?

There are a few instances where you tend to think negatively, forgetting any aspects of positivity. Some of them are here, find out if any of your negative thoughts fit in these - 

1. Guilt can become a habit for some people. If something doesn’t go their way or they make a minor mistake, they take the guilt of the situation on themselves. Sometimes you need to withdraw yourself from the situation to see that you’re least related to it or it isn’t under your control. 
2. Individuals who look at life on polarised extremes of only good and bad, ignore the middle ground where they might be at. If it isn’t the best, it mustn’t be the worst because it is the place for you to grow, improve and learn. 
3. A minor inconvenience ticks people off and they end up disregarding any good in the day. For example, if you had a great day out with your friend but had a minor argument, you end up only focusing on the negative, overlooking the enjoyment and happiness in the day. 
4. If you make a mistake once, you’d predict that you’d make it every time. Doing something wrong once would lower your self-confidence and self-esteem so much that you’d be in absolute denial to ever do it again which goes against the benefits of positive thinking.  

Examples of positive thinking

Consider these examples to gain the benefits of positive thinking and instil it as a consistent habit - 

1. Turning problems into opportunities to prove yourself. 
2. Looking at new and unknown situations as learning experiences for the love of curiosity. 
3. Transforming mistakes and failures into lessons for the next time. 
4. Moving beyond your comfort zone to live the new and unfamiliar. 
5. Being the biggest supporter for your own self if no one else is. 
6. Taking initiatives if others don’t and giving them a second chance. 
7. Trying things in a different way because trial and error is the key to finding your own way. 
8. If you’ve done it before, you can do it again even if the situation is tougher. 

Importance of having a positive attitude

Individuals having a positive attitude have it comparatively easier when dealing with life than those who have a negative attitude. Imagine for each of those hard times that you viewed life so negatively when maybe one hope could’ve made it a little better, such are the advantages of positive thinking. You can’t become a positive thinker in a day but practising it everyday is what makes it better. 

Every time you overthink or think negatively, recognise the reason and see where it emanates from. Once you’re done with that, look at it in a different way and in a positive light. You could do this through confidence, confiding in others or maybe self-talk. It is only when you turn around every bad situation into a good one that you can reap the benefits of positive thinking. 

Conclusion 

You no longer need to ask, what are the advantages of positive thinking? Try it for yourself and find out! It is the best possible habit you could foster for your physical, mental and emotional well-being. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is being positive important?

Being positive is important because it helps you to cope up with stressful situations, reduce anxiety and panic, come up with solutions quicker, save you from health problems and instil confidence to deal with a variety of issues. 

How does a positive mindset impact mental health?

Positive mindset impacts mental health by reducing the changes of depression and mental health problems, lowering stress, clearing the mind, enhancing positive moods and increasing creativity confidence and productivity,

Can being positive improve physical health?

Yes, being positive improves physical health by lowering heart rate and blood pressure, reducing the risk of heart diseases and heart attack, increasing lifespan and having a greater resistance towards illness and infections.

Can being positive help in achieving goals?

Yes, being positive helps in achieving goals because the confidence that you get from positive thinking elevates your leadership skills, productivity, concentration, motivation, clear thinking and coping mechanism in the best way.